Djokovic T-shirt in vogue at U.S. Open

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic might not agree with his father’s fashion statement at the U.S. Open but the Serbian is not about to make him change his ways.

Djokovic’s father Srdjan has been notable in the player’s box during his son’s five matches at the tournament for wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a large image of Novak’s face.

“He’s a proud father, what can I say?” Djokovic said when asked about his father’s clothing choice.

“I don’t know exactly where he got his fancy shirt - it was somewhere in Belgrade - but he’s my father and, if he wants to wear this shirt, he can wear this shirt. I would never wear the shirt. I don’t like myself that much.”

The T-shirt, purchased in the Serbian capital of Belgrade where they live, has become something of a lucky charm now that the number three seed has reached the semi-finals at Flushing Meadows for the fourth straight year.

Much like his father’s garments at Flushing Meadows, Djokovic has also garnered attention with some increasingly impressive tennis.

In his opening-round match against fellow Serbian and closed friend Viktor Troicki, he looked on course for an early exit before recovering to win in five sets. Djokovic has not dropped a set since.

He may not be as fancied as Roger Federer or Rafa Nadal to win the tournament but that does not bother Djokovic.

“I like playing under the radar sometimes - it releases the pressure on myself and I can just focus on my matches, doing the job and winning matches,” said the 23-year-old.

“As the best two players in the world, they are the most dominant in the last five, six years. They’re the biggest favorites to get into the final and I‘m sure that the crowd wants them in this final but I will try not to make that happen.”